This fresh and crunchy snap peas and carrots salad is the perfect accompaniment to whatever main course you’re serving up. The dressing has toasted sesame oil, fresh garlic, lime zest and juice, spices, and a hint of maple syrup for sweetness. When drizzled over the julienned carrots, sliced snap peas, and creamy avocado, the combination is just so satisfying. No cooking is needed, so this vibrant vegan salad is ready in about 30 minutes.
This is a new favorite in our household. Snap peas and carrots are both slightly sweet and so crunchy! The dressing has that classic nutty sesame flavor as well as a punch of garlic, Tamari, maple, and spices like cumin and coriander. I find the salad to be an especially good foil for marinated and grilled tempeh or air fryer edamame.
The most time-consuming part of this snap peas and carrots salad is cutting the vegetables. Slicing the veg and shaking up the dressing takes about 30 minutes. You absolutely can cut down on the prep time by substituting a bag of matchstick carrots from the grocery store!
When I’m referring to snap peas, I’m referring to sugar snap peas. They have edible pods and are crunchy and sweet. I think folks sometimes confuse them with snow peas, which are flat. The key difference: snap peas have puffed up pods and really bring the crunchy factor! A great explainer from The Kitchn can be found here. For this salad, I like to cut the ends off the snap peas and then slice them thinly.
When testing this recipe in my kitchen, I made a couple versions with rainbow carrots that were particularly striking. If you can find them, I recommend using them!
Fans of this vibrant plant based side salad will definitely also enjoy my shredded snap pea salad with lemon, mint, and radishes.
Crunchy Snap Peas & Carrots Salad with Sesame Lime Dressing
Ingredients
Sesame Lime Dressing
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced with a Microplane
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Tamari soy sauce
- 1-3 teaspoons maple syrup (see note)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
Salad
- 350 grams carrots (about 3 medium)
- 227 grams snap peas
- ⅓ cup cilantro/Thai basil leaves (or a combination of both)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium ripe avocado
Notes
- I personally like a little extra sweetness whenever I’m using toasted sesame oil, so I use the full 3 teaspoons of maple syrup listed. For those who enjoy sweetness less but still want a balanced dressing, go for 1 teaspoon.
- Using bagged matchstick carrots from the grocery store will cut your prep time in half here.
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a sealable jar, combine the lime zest, lime juice, garlic, cumin, coriander, Tamari, maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, salt, pepper, and avocado oil. Close the lid on the jar tightly and shake until combined. Set aside.
- Peel the carrots and then julienne them into little matchsticks before placing in a large bowl. Remove the ends of the snap peas and then slice them thinly before adding to the bowl. Roughly chop the herbs and then add them to the bowl as well. Finally, add the sesame seeds, salt, pepper, and the dressing to the bowl.
- Toss the salad to combine before transferring to your platter of choice. Peel and pit the avocado and then cut the flesh into cubes. Evenly place the avocado on top of the salad. If there’s any dressing lingering at the bottom of the bowl, spoon it over the avocado.
- Serve the salad right away and enjoy!
This is looking soooo good for spring! Can’t wait to make.